In a significant development for the Ethereum (ETH) ecosystem, researchers propose redesigning the network’s consensus layer, aiming to enhance scalability, decentralization, and security. 

During a presentation at DevCon in Bangkok on Tuesday, Justin Drake, an Ethereum Foundation researcher, introduced the concept of “Beam Chain,” a new consensus layer intended to replace the existing Beacon Chain.

The Beam Chain Proposal

Drake explained that the Beacon Chain, which has been operational for five years, has become somewhat outdated. “In those five years, so much has happened,” he remarked, highlighting the rapid advancements in blockchain technology and research. 

The redesign will reportedly focus exclusively on the consensus layer, leaving the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the binary large object (blob) data layer untouched. 

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In addition, the Beam Chain aims to revamp several critical aspects of Ethereum’s staking mechanism, block production system, and cryptographic architecture. One of the central proposals is to reduce the validator bond from 32 ETH to just 1 ETH, a move intended to foster greater decentralization within the network. 

Drake noted that the current issuance model for Proof of Stake (PoS) is perceived as flawed, presenting an opportunity for improvement that could benefit Ethereum’s long-term health.

To enhance censorship resistance, the proposal includes mechanisms for attestor-proposer separation, which would further secure the block production process. Additionally, the Beam Chain is designed to improve throughput by accelerating block time slots, ultimately leading to faster transaction confirmations.

Plans To Transform Ethereum Future

A hallmark of the Beam Chain initiative is its incorporation of zero-knowledge (ZK) consensus, which leverages Succinct Non-interactive Argument of Knowledge (SNARK) proofs. 

These cryptographic tools will serve dual purposes: enabling consensus clients to compile high-level languages into bytecode and creating a “hash-based post-quantum infinitely-aggregatable scheme” that can condense thousands of hashes into a single proof. 

Recent advancements suggest that users can prove over 2 million hashes per second, indicating that the “SNARKification” of the consensus layer is feasible even on consumer-grade hardware.

Drake outlined that if the community supports the proposal, the next steps would involve specification in 2025, development in 2026, and testing in 2027. 

The researcher described this strategy as “ossification accelerationism,” aiming to achieve stability and maturity for Ethereum sooner rather than later. “We want Ethereum to go into ‘maintenance mode’ as soon as possible,” he stated.

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The proposal has generated considerable interest within the Ethereum community, with Drake emphasizing the importance of community participation in shaping the future of the consensus layer. He referred to the Beam Chain as his “most ambitious initiative to date,” highlighting the need for collaboration to realize this vision.

In an exclusive interview with NewsBTC, Professor Christian Cachin from the University of Bern commended the Beam Chain proposal for its potential to solidify Ethereum’s consensus roadmap. 

Cachin noted that while the planned upgrades involve sophisticated and non-backwards-compatible technologies, they are crucial for advancing Ethereum’s scalability and overall capabilities: 

As far as I see so far, the proposal makes the existing Ethereum consensus roadmap concrete, it takes the next steps toward more powerful and more scalable consensus of Ethereum.

At the time of writing, ETH was trading at $3,227, up 22% for the week.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

The crypto witnessed an unusual spike in buying on Sunday morning as Bitcoin price rallied to a new ATH above $80,000. The bullish momentum spread quickly to the altcoin market as the largest cryptocurrency, ETH, sustained its position above $3000. The Ethereum price recovery backed by whale accumulation eyes current All-Time High of $4,981. 

By press time, ETH price had traded at $3,228, with an intraday gain of 3.2%. According to Coingecko, the asset market cap holds at $389.4 Billion with a 24-hour trading volume of $42.1 Billion.

Ethereum Price Eyes ATH as Whale Buying Resumes

The cryptocurrency market kickstarted an accelerated bullish momentum in November after Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. The pioneer digital asset, Bitcoin, leverages the broader market sentiment to reach a new high of $80,000 today.

Onchain data shows the BTC price recovery is further backed by whale accumulation, signaling the large investor confidence in a prolonged uptrend. However, smart money investors have shifted their focus not only on accumulating Bitcoin ($BTC) but also on Ethereum ($ETH).

Earlier today, four whale wallets withdrew 12,499 ETH( worth approximately 40 million) from crypto exchange Binance, according to Lookonchain data. This large-scale withdrawal could point toward a potential surge in Ethereum price as the accumulation phase among whales often precedes major market moves.

Whales are not only accumulating $BTC but also $ETH!

Today, 4 fresh wallets withdrew 12,499 $ETH($40M) from #Binance.

Address:https://t.co/SQuMHXIHB9https://t.co/5i2dQycE6Jhttps://t.co/0Uxu9f146Ahttps://t.co/LcipzWKOcJhttps://t.co/rmmywMcE6C pic.twitter.com/GCPyZ4abdG

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) November 10, 2024

ETH Price Rally Concludes Major Correction Trend

Following the Bitcoin rally, the Ethereum price prediction showcased a six-day recovery from $2,380 to $3,220— a 36% surge. This sharp upswing, backed by increasing volume, gave a decisive breakout from ETH’s 3-month accumulation and falling wedge pattern.

Since late May, this chart setup has driven a steady correction trend within two converging trendlines, with the recent breakout signaling a significant shift in trend. The Ether buyers reclaimed the daily EMAs (20, 50, 100, and 200), further bolstering the bullish sentiment in the market.

If the pattern holds true, the Ethereum price is poised to surpass the in-between resistance of $3,560 to hit a $4,100 high, registering a 26% surge. A potential breakout from this will drive a rally to ATH.

On the contrary, financial assets are unlikely to sustain a unidirectional move without external bullish news. As a result, the Ethereum price is likely to experience a corrective pullback, potentially toward the daily EMAs, to regain exhausted bullish momentum.

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Sahil Mahadik

Sahil is a dedicated full-time trader with over three years of experience in the financial markets. Armed with a strong grasp of technical analysis, he keeps a vigilant eye on the daily price movements of top assets and indices. Drawn by his fascination with financial instruments, Sahil enthusiastically embraced the emerging realm of cryptocurrency, where he continues to explore opportunities driven by his passion for trading

Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.